Valve mechanism



Aug. 25, 1925. 1,551,209

F. W. OFELDT VALVE MECHANISM Filed March 11, 1924 2 Shets-Sheet 2 ,1 ll nllll I II Patented Aug. 25, 1925.

FRANKW. QFEIIDEOFPITTSBURGH, *rnmvsy-nvammnssrenon "r0 0."& 3. Germany;

INCORPORATED, WARE. Y

or PITTSBURGH, (PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION ornam- VALVE 'MECHANISM.

' Applicationfiled March 11, 1924. Serial N 0:6981 167.

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, FRANK -W; QFELDT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny; State of Pennsylvania, have invented'a new and useful Improvement in Valve Mechanism, of which the-following is a full, clear, and exact description.

' The present invention relates broadly to valve "mechanism for engines, and more particularly to the construction and operation of valve mechanism of the gyratory type.

An object ofthe invention is toprovide an improved form'oif positive drive for a rotary valve, enabling the valve to be yielding-1y in i d at l es ag -met. ita an also enabling the valve stem tQfbG-lOQSBlY mounted in amannerjto allowgthe valve to have a gyratory motion toflthereby cause a shifting area of contact and grindiin action between the valve and'it-s seat ten ing to constantly keep the parts to. a'proper seating fit and properly lubricatedti" V A further object of the ,invention is to provide novel means for lubricating. a valve of this type. r

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment of invention, itvbeingwunderstood that the drawingsdo not definethe limits of the invention,. as changes may be made in the construction and operation therein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention or scopeof my broader claims. 1

lnthe drawings: V Figure l is a vertical sectional view through a portion of an engine cylinder head having therein a valve mechanism embodying myinvention; M I k Figure 2 is an inverted'pla-n viewj vof the valve cage; Figure 3 a H a: v A c Figure 4 isa vertical sectional View of the valve cage taken on the line IVIV of .Figure 6; r

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view oi the "valvecage taken on the line V-V of Figure 6; i v 1 Figures 6, 7 and 8 are horizontal isectional views taken on the lines VI-VI, VII-VII and VIII-3711 1;, respectively of is abottom plan view: ofthe Figure-4; and

'm vemennin" v, a rotary movernent. Interpo'sed'betvveen the .diaphragm I8 and ,thefbot'tom off the en Figure 9- isa top plan view ofthe valve cage. 1 I p v Referring to Figure 1,-a'nengine cylinder head is designated vby the reference character 2. Seated in the cylinder head is a valve cage 3 provided witha pair crammaneany opposite intake ports land a pair of diame rically opposite exhaust ports 5. 'Theintake ports communicate with an intake manifold 6 and the exhaust ports with an exhaust manifold 7. a

The valve cage is'provided at its lower end with'a convex or spherical valve seat-8 engaged by a valve9 v y The latter is carried by a vertically extending valvestem .10, having an enlarged: head11 at its 11mm end seated in a recess 12 in the valve, the said recess being closed'by ascrew plug 13. R0-

tation oft he valve. upon the head 11is prevented by means bf a key:14. The upper end fIthevaIVQ stem is reduced has a hub mounted thereon; rotation of a the ,stemgm the hub being prevented by afkey 16. The extreme up er end of the valve .stem is screw threadedandfis engaged "by a nut for holdingithe hnb l5 on the reduced portion, of the st m, ,The' hilbi 1511551. a diaphnagm 18 secured aerate by means; of

rivets. 19. i This diaphragm. isfseciired atfits .short ofthelower end or the'bearing24, and mounted upon the valve stem. between the vlower end of the sleeve and a shb'ulder 25 at ingrown endvorgthe bearingQisQa roll-c1226. The valve stem fit'sl0ose1y in; the sleeveand the" roller fits loosely in the. bearing, thereby enabling. the valve?) 1 to have 'aTs'light bodily react with its seat, a's'wen as ,against its seat and counteracting any'ftenperipheral edge by meansot screws 20-ufpon I denc'y of Said valve to move away ofrornfits;

seat.

The enlarg d f tten "pertain 2'2 'ofthe sleeve 23 'isrpiidvided with an external ring gear 28 whereby the'valvenlay be geared to another. valve; :Monnted ftp athei'upper I oil film on the seat.

end of the portion 22 by means of screws 29 is a mainbevel gear; 30; Said, gear is en'- gaged by abevel pinion 31, the said pinion having its shaft 32 journalled in a'suitable bearing 33 in a casing 34 attached to the cylinder. head. The pinion shaft 32 is adapted to be driven from the crank shaft of the engine.

Extending through the top cover 35 of the cylinder head is an oil'circulating pipe 36 adapted to deliver oil upon the diaphragm 18. In operation, the oil delivered upon the diaphragm will be thrown by centrifugal force against the inner surface of the portion 22 having an oil escape opening 37 therein. Oil passing through this opening at one'point in each revolution .is caught by a trough 38 carried by the valve cage. This trough delivers the oil to the top of the cagefrom where it passes through duct-s 89 to the outer surface of the sleeve 23. 1 Obviously the oil will pass downwardly between the outer surface ofthe sleeve 23 and the inner surface of the bearing 24 and will finallyreach and lubricatethe valve seat, the combined rotary and gyratory movement of the valve effectively'maintaining an The valve cage is'adapted to fit the cylinder head'snugly, and gaskets 40 are provided between the cage and the head to prevent leakage. Further, a thrust washer 41 is utilized between the upper end of the bearing 24 and the bottom face of the enlarged portion22. j

The valve 9 is provided. with diametrically opposite ports 42 for cooperation with intake and exhaust ports 4 and 5 of the valve cage.

Due to. the fact that the valve cage is provided with two diametrically opposite sets of intake and exhaust ports, the ports 42 of the valve will cooperate with these intake andexhaust ports valve. This enables the valve to 'be'driven at a speed of one-fourth the speed of the "engine crank shaft, when a valve mechanism 'of this character is employed in. a 4-cycle engine, I -Ieretofore, in 4-cycle eng nes employing rotary valves it has been customary [to operatethevalves at one-half the speed of the crank shaft of the engine. By pro- 'viding'a valve mechanism enablingthe valve to be rotated at one-fourth the speed of the "engine crank shaft, a decided advantage is gained by reason of the reduction of Wear on the parts of the valve mechanism.'

.The valve 9 is constructed with a concave seating surface 43 for cooperation with the valve seat 8. The opposite surface 44 of the valve is formed convex and preferably the two surfaces have relative. curvatures such that these surfaces intersect at the periphery of the valve. I have found that a valve construction of this character countersubstantially as described. during each 180 degrees of rotation'of the mounting of the valve stem enabling the valve to have a gyratory motion, insures a proper seating fit and effective lubrication between the valve and its seat at all times.

I make no claim, however, in the present application to the particular construction of the valve, as this forms the subject matter of my co-pending application, Serial No. 698,466 filed of even date herewith,

From the foregoing, the advantages of the present invention will be apparent. The provision of adiaphragm drive for the valve enables the valve to be maintained yieldingly against its seat at all times during operation. While I have shown a spring for this purpose, it will be apparent that the diaphragm itself might be constructed to perform this function if de sired. The provision of the diaphragm drive for the valve also enables the valve stem to be loosely mounted in such manner as toprovide for a gyratory motion of the valve. The novel means provided for maintaining 'thebearing parts of the valve mechanism lubricated, obviates any danger of, these parts burning out.

'I claim: v I

1. rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve seat, a valve engaging said seat, driving means for said valve, and a diaphragm operatively connecting said valve with said driving means, substantially as described.

I 2. A rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve cage provided with'a valve seat, a

porting said valve, driving means for said ing said driving means with said valve stem,

3. A rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve seat, a valve engaglngw said seat, a valve stem supportmg sa1d valve, a driving member, a diaphragm secured to said stem and "member and forming an operative connection between the two, and a spring engaging sa1d diaphragm. and yieldlngly ma1n-' taming said valve in engagement with its seat, substantially as described. I

4. A rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve seat, a valve engaging said seat,

driving means for said valve, and means comprising a diaphragm operatively connecting sa1d valve with saiddrlving means and yieldingly maintaining said valve "againstits seat, said means permitting said valveto have a gyr-atory motion, substantially as described.

r 5. A, rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve seat, a valve engaging said seat, a valve stem carried by said valve, driving means for said valve, means comprising a valve, and a diaphragm operatively connectdiaphragm operatively connecting said stem with said driving means and yieldingly maintaining said valve against its seat, and a bearing for said stem, said stem fitting loosely in said bearing, whereby said valve is permitted to have a gyratory motion, substantially as described- 6. A rotary valve mechanism, comprising a' valve seat, a valve engaging said seat, driving means for said valve, a diaphragm connecting said valve with said driving means, means for delivering a lubricant to said diaphragm, and means for collecting said lubricant thrown by centrifugal force from said diaphragm and delivering it to said valve seat, substantially as described.

7 A rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve seat, a valve engaging said seat, a valve stem carried by said valve, a bearing surrounding said valve stem, driving means for said valve, a diaphragm connecting said valve stem With said driving means, means for delivering a lubricant to said diaphragm, and means for collecting the lubricant thrown by centrifugal force from said diaphragm and delivering it to said bearing, substantially as described.

8. A rotary valve mechanism, comprising a valve seat, a valve engaging said seat, a valve stem carried by said valve, a bearing surrounding said valve stem, driving means for said valve, a diaphragm operatively con necting said valve stem with said driving means, means for delivering a lubricant to said diaphragm, and means for delivering said lubricant from said diaphragm to said bearing, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK W. OFELDT. 

